Shrimp processing machine and method

ABSTRACT

A shrimp processing machine and method including an intermittently operating conveyor from which beheaded shrimp are pulled tail first by sets of clamps on a rotary wheel turning at a uniform rate. The shrimp shells and part of the meat are slit, and the sand vein is removed by the rotary brush. The intermittently operating conveyor mechanism is driven from the rotary wheel by a Geneva drive mechanism. The shrimp meat is finally removed from the shell by a shell separating mechanism and delivered to a discharge conveyor.

United States Patent 1 1 1 3 L Jonsson Aug. 14, W73

[5 SHRIMP PROCESSING MACHINE AND 3,364,514 1/1968 Han: et a1. 17/54 METHOD 2,753,589 7/1956 Sloan 17/71 x Inventor: Gregor Jonsson, 1520 Berkeley Road, Lake Forest, 111.

Filed: Feb. 18, 1971 Appl. No.: 116,570

Related U.S. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 783,807, Dec. 16, 1968, Pat. No. 3,566,437.

U.S. Cl. 17/71, 17/48 Int. Cl. A22c 29/00 Field of Search 17/71, 73, 54, 53,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1966 Jonsson 17/73 Primary Examiner-Lucie H. Laudenslager Attomey-Olson, Trexler, Wolters & Bushnell [57] ABSTRACT A shrimp processing machine and method including an intermittently operating conveyor from which beheaded shrimp are pulled tail first by sets of clamps on a rotary wheel turning at a uniform rate. The shrimp shells and part of the meat are slit, and the sand vein is removed by the rotary brush. The intermittently operating conveyor mechanism is driven from the rotary wheel by a Geneva drive mechanism. The shrimp meat is finally removed from the shell by a shell separating mechanism and delivered to a discharge conveyor.

11 Claims, 37 Drawing Figures PAIENIEU A119 1 4 sum as or 12 I N VENT OR. fa madam g0 U and,

PAIENTED 3.751.766

sum as pr 12 PAIENIEU mm 4 ms SHEET 97 a; 1

damp y 6 2 5 07 g.- Qm wlz$% SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The processing of shrimp by hand, including removal of the sand vein and separation of the shrimp meat or flesh body from the shell, is time-consuming and quite uneconomical at present labor rates. Efforts have been made heretofore to provide machines for effecting this operation, and among the most successful of these have been some of my own machines as disclosed and claimed in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos: 2,784,450; 2,850,761; 3,122,777; 3,159,871; 3,214,789; 3,238,561; 3,247,542; and 3,277,517.

Under most conditions and with fresh shrimp, as set forth in my above-mentioned copending application, the machines disclosed in the foregoing noted patents have worked quite satisfactorily. However, under present market conditions, it is common for shrimp to be caught in extremely hot climates. For example, in areas off the coast of India, Pakistan, and Kuwait, the shade temperature may reach 100 to 125 F., and there is little or no shade. Shrimp catching starts as early as 4:00 a.m., and by 2:00 pm. the first shrimp would be spoiled if it were not iced. Thus, icing is absolutely essential, and shrimp boats may stay out for to 14 days at a time. The shrimp cannot be satisfactorily separated from the shell while frozen, partly due to freezing ofliquid between the shell and body. If the shrimp is thawed quickly, rigor mortis has not passed, and the meat still cannot be separatedfrom the shell properly.

It is possible to soak the frozen shrimp in melting ice for 24 hours, and then to process the shrimp. Something on the order of 10,000 pounds perhour of shrimp must be thawed in turbulent water, and with existing machines it has been necessary to have 50,000 pounds of shrimp thawed for a days operation, with another 50,000 pounds of shrimp thawed for the following days operation, whereby it is necessary to thaw and store 100,000 pounds of thawed shrimp.

Shrimp processing machines of the type developed by applicant employ mechanism for intermittently advancing shrimp laterally along a predetennin ed path to a station at which they are individually withdrawn longitudinally from said path at predetermined intervals. At this station, movement of each shrimp is momentarily arrested to facilitate gripping and withdrawing of the shrimp. It is extremely important that during this momentary dwell, the shrimp be accurately positioned and lockedagainst further movement which might otherwise result frommachine vibrations. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide novel and practical means whereby the accurate positioning and locking of the shrimp against further movement is assured.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a novel arrangement whereby relatively rapid advancementof shrimp to the position of dwell is assured.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide novel means of the type referred to above which will require minimum maintenance and which will afford a longer period of operation before replacement becomes necessary.

The present invention contemplates the provision of an improved intermittent drive mechanism which will permit reverse without the danger of impairing the structural components of the machine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a knife operable in a shrimp shell separating station to cut into the shrimp body to produce a butterfly or saddle shrimp, as the case may be.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a shrimp processing machine constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 6, and showing a part of the Geneva drive mechanism;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; 7

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a detail vertical sectional view taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, detail vertical sectional view taken along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 10-10 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view ofa shrimp holding unit taken on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 12-12 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the mechanism of FIG. 11, being that portion of the mechanism taken along the line 14-14 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of a portion of FIG. 11 as taken along the line 14-14 in FIG. 11;

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary perspective view of the shell-removing station;

FIG. 16 is an end view of the shell-removing station taken from the right end of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a vertical sectional view taken through the shrimp meat engaging spike unit substantially along the line 17-17 of FIG. 18;

FIG. 18 is a side view of the spike unit taken substantially along the line 18-18 of FIG. 17;

FIGS. 19-22 are similar views, all taken along the line 19-19 in-FIG. l6, and showing the parts of the shell-removing station in various positions of operation;

FIG. 23 is an upward looking horizontal view taken substantially along the line 23-23 in FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is a detail vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 24-24 in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is a view generally similar to FIG. 15 and showing a modification of the invention;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 26-26 in FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 27-27 in FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a view similar to a part of FIG. 26, with the water shield rocked to a different position of operation;

FIG. 29 is a side view generally similar to FIGS. 1922, showing a further modification of the invention, and with the parts in a slightly different position relative to FIGS. 1922;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view corresponding to the modification of FIG. 25;

FIG. 31 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 31-31 in FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a view corresponding to FIG. 31, but showing the parts in a different position of operation;

FIG. 33 is a fragmentary, side view of the slitting station showing an improved modification thereof, the view being taken substantially along the line 33-33 in FIG. 34;

FIG. 34 is a view taken at right angles to FIG. 33 and substantially along the line 34-34 in FIG. 33;

FIG. 35 is a further fragmentary view on an enlarged scale taken from the opposite direction of FIG. 33, and substantially along the line 36-36 in FIG. 34;

FIG. 36 is a view similar to FIG. 35, showing the parts in a different position of operation; and,

FIG. 37 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the shrimp slit except for the last joint thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in greater particularity to the drawings, and first to FIG. I, there is shown a shrimp cleaning or processing machine 30 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The machine includes an annular series of shrimp holders or holding units 32 which are supported and rotated in an annular path in the machine.

With reference to FIG. 5, and particularly to FIG. 10, the shrimp holding units 32 are continuously moved at a uniform rate of speed in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow 34 in FIG. 10. The shrimp holding units 32 move in a closed annular path wherein the holding units are carried in succession through a sequence of working stations or zones where various significant functional operations are performed. The first such station or zone comprises a shrimp pickup or supply station 36. Successive holding units 32 moving through the shrimp pickup station 36 pick up individual shrimps supplied to the station 36 by an endless conveyor 38 moving in synchronism with the holding units, but intermittently rather than at a continuous uniform rate. From the pickup station 36, each holding unit 32 passes through a main shell clamping station 40 where the under-belly of the shrimp previously picked up is firmly clamped in the holding unit.

Immediately after it is clamped along its underbelly or ventral side in the station 40, each shrimp is carried through a shell disjointing station or zone 42 wherein the shell of the shrimp is disjointed by opposed longitudinal forces applied to the shrimp in a manner to be set forth hereinafter.

After the shell of each shrimp is disjointed near the tail of the shrimp in the zone 42, the shrimp is carried by the holding units 32 onto a shell ripping and deveining station 44 where the shell of the shrimp is longitudinally ripped open along its dorsal side. At this time, the sand vein of the shrimp is removed.

Each shrimp is carried from the shell ripping and deveining station 44 to a cleaning station 46 where the meat or body of the shrimp is washed and scrubbed to remove debris.

After the shrimp have been cleaned and washed at the station 46, they are carried on to a shell-removing station 48 of improved construction and forming a major portion of the present invention. This shellremoving station will be described in greater detail hereinafter. The meat or body and also the tail of each shrimp are briefly moved ahead faster than the respective holding unit 32, and then are moved rearwardly of the respective holding unit (considering the direction of movement of the holding units) while movement of the main portion of the shrimp shell is continued, and thereby to slip the shrimp shell longitudinally off the meat or body of the shrimp, leaving the shrimp tail attached to the body. The cleaned body and tail of each shrimp are dropped to the bottom of the machine for subsequent utilization, as will be brought out in greater detail hereinafter. The main portion of the shrimp shell, after such separation, is carried on to a shell release station 50 where the shrimp shell is released from the respective holding unit 32, which holding unit then passes by a cleaning brush 52 before again reaching the shrimp pickup station to pick up any additional shrimp.

Reference has been made to movement of the shrimp holding unit through an annular path, such movement as well as movement of the other moving parts of the machine being effected by an electric motor 54 (FIGS. 5 and 7) having a pulley on the output shaft thereof driving a belt 58 which in turn drives a pulley 60 fixed on a jack shaft 62 joumaled in suitable bearings 64 supported from the frame 66 of the machine 30. At the opposite end from the pulley 60 the jack shaft 62 carries a pulley 68 which operates through a belt 70 to drive a pulley 72. The pulley 72 is fixed on a shaft 74 extending from the gear box 76 suitably mounted on a machine frame 66. The gear box 76 has an output shaft 77 (see also FIG. 6) with a spur gear 78 fixed thereon and driving a large ring gear 80 formed on a periphery of a flywheel or rotor 82 on which the holding units 32 are suitably mechanically mounted. Many of the remaining moving parts of the machine are driven from this ring gear as will be brought out hereinafter.

In particular, and continuing to refer to FIG. 5 (right side thereof) and FIG. 6, and also to FIGS. 3 and 4, the ring gear 80 drives a spur gear 84 fixed on a shaft suitably joumaled in a bracket 86 supported by the machine frame and having at its opposite end a bevel gear 88 which drives a bevel gear 90 fixed on a cross shaft 92.

The cross shaft drives the endless conveyor 38 free of shocks and vibration through a Geneva drive mechanism 94 comprising a carrier disc 96 having a pin 98 ex tending axially thereof from a location near the periphery of the disc 96. The disc carries the usual Geneva idler or lock 100 in the form of a disc or cylinder with an arcuate section removed therefrom at 102, and is well known in Geneva drive mechanisms.

The well known Geneva wheel 104 has the usual radial slots 106 successively receiving the pin 98 (which preferably has a roller thereon), and also the intervening concave arcuate sections 108 for receiving the idler or Geneva lock 100. The Geneva wheel 104 in the present instance has six radial slots 106, and hence it will be quickly turned one-sixth of a revolution for each revolution of the driving disc 96, the Geneva wheel being firmly locked in position between such rapid incremental advances. Thus, this Geneva lock device may be aptly described as a self-locking, intermittent transfer mechanism for controlling the intermittent movement of a shrimp conveyor about to be described.

The Geneva wheel 104 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 110 suitably fixed to parts of the machine frame 66 The Geneva wheel is fixed to a tube 112 rotatable with the Geneva wheel-and concentric with the shaft 1 10. The opposite end of the tube 112 is fixed to a drive cog 114 driving a chain 116 (see also FIG. 1) forming .a part of the endless conveyor 38. Various additional idler cogs 1 l8 are suitably rotatably supported from the machine frame to guide the chain 116 in the reentrant pattern illustrated generally in FIG. 1.

in addition to the chain 116, the conveyor 38 includes a succession of open-ended, V-shaped troughs 120 into which beheaded shrimp 122 are loaded by hand from a' conveyor belt 123 disposed adjacent the machine 30. The shrimp are loaded with the tails 124 thereof extending from the troughs 120 in the direction of the holding units 32 and of the shrimp pickup station 36. The troughs 120 successively stop in alignment with the shrimp pickup station 36 as they are intermittently moved by the Geneva mechanism 94.

As may be seen particularly in FIGS. 11 and 12, each shrimp holding unit or holder 32 comprises a central support frame or member 160 securely mounted on the flywheel 82 by means such as studs 126 and spacers 162.

An inner pivot support shaft 164 mounted in the support frame 160 of each shrimp holder 32 cantilevers forwardly with respect to the normal direction of rotary movement of the holder to provide pivotal support to a pair of mutually opposed shrimp tail clamping jaws 1.66 biased toward each other by a spring 168. Two cam followers 170 fixed to the respective tail clamping jaws 66 project radially inwardly into coacting relation to two opposed stationary cams 172 which operate on the cam followers to effect synchronization of movement of the tail clamping jaws toward and away from one another as an incident to orbiting of the corresponding shrimp holding unit 32 in its annular path.

As each shrimp holding unit 32 approaches the shrimp pickup station 36, the tail clamping jaws 166 of the unit are held apart from each other by the action of the cams 172 on the associated cam followers 170. Hence, upon entering theshrimp pickup station 136,

' the tail clamping jaws 166 of each unit 32 receive therebetween the tail 124 of a shrimp 122 moved into the pickup station in synchronism with the shrimp holding unit. Upon moving into embracing relation to a shrimp tail 124 in the pickup station 36, the tail clamping jaws 166 are swung toward one another by the spring 168 as allowed by the cam followers 170 on the cam 172, and thereby to clamp the shrimp tails to pull the shrimp from the individual troughs 120 of the conveyor 38.

As the shrimp 122 is clamped by its tail 124 in the pickup station 136 and positively pulled by the jaws 166 into the main shell clamping station 40, the underbelly or ventral side of the shrimp is clamped forwardly of the shrimp tail along the major longitudinal portion of the shrimp by a pair of opposed main shell clamping jaws 178 provided on each holding unit 32.

The two main shell-clamping jaws 178 of each unit 32 are swingably supported on an outer pivot shaft 180 mounted in the central support frame 160 of the holding unit. Two arcuate main shell-engaging portions 182 of the respective jaws 178 confront each other in overlying relation to an arcuate shrimp support surface 184 forming a portion of the central support frame or member 160. It will be noted that the shell-engaging portions 182 are notched out at 185 to clear the rear body portion adjacent the tail. These shell-engaging portions 182 are continuously urged aggressively toward each other by spring means 186 encircling the main jaw support shaft 180. Movement of the main clamping jaws 78 of each holding unit toward and away from each other in synchronism with rotation of the holding unit is controlled by two stationary inner cams 188 which coact with cam followers 190 fixed to the respective jaws 178. A tail deflecting element 196 is fixed to the support frame 160 of each unit 32 to occupy a position in which the deflecting element extends outwardly between the tail clamping jaws 166 and the adjacent ends of the main shell clamping elements 182, to aid in deflecting the shrimp tail away from the main portion of the shrimp shell as the latter is removed from the flesh body or meat and tail of the shrimp in the station 48 in a manner to be described hereinafter. The longitudinal portion of a clamped shrimp which extends over the tail deflecting element 196 from the tail clamping jaws 166 to themain clamping element 182 is not clamped by either the jaws 166 or the jaws 178.

As previously indicated, the method and machine provided by this invention serve to remove the main portion of the shell of individual shrimp from the body of shrimp flesh or meat, leaving the shrimp tail intact and attached to the flesh body of the shrimp. This necessarily involves a disconnection and separation of the main portion of the shell of each shrimp from the tail of the shrimp which is left attached to the flesh body thereof.

As will be seen particularly in FIG, 12, the main portion of the shell of the shrimp, which is to be separated from the tail and removed from the flesh body of the shrimp, is clamped along its under side by the main jawclamping or shell-engaging portions 182. The meat or flesh body of the shrimp is identified by the numeral 128, while the shell of the shrimp is identified generally by the numeral 130. The main longitudinal portion of the shrimp shell which is clamped by the clamping elements 182 and subsequently removed from the flesh body is identified by numeral 132.

As each shrimp 122 is carried through the shell disrupting or disjointing station 42, a'portion of the shrimp shell located adjacent the tail 124 thereof is stretched or tensioned longitudinally with respect to the shrimp until the strength of the shrimp shell is permanently disrupted. Preferably this is done in a manner which disjoints the shrimp shell [30 near the shrimp tail 124. Moreover, the permanent disruption of the strength of the shrimp shell near the tail of the shrimp is effected by longitudinal tension force applied to the shell 130 in a manner which effectively avoids substantial weakening of the adjacent portion of the flesh body of the shrimp which holds the shrimp tail attached to the flesh body of the shrimp.

The portion of the shrimp shell which is to be disrupted is strained beyond the point or condition of disruption by tension forces applied to the shrimp shell 130 in a manner that substantially avoids compressive crushing of the shrimp shell and damage by compression to the adjacent portion of the flesh body 128 of the shrimp.

To this end, longitudinal tension force is applied to each shrimp shell through non-slip connections made to the shrimp shell 130 in a manner which minimizes compressive loading of the shrimp shell.

In the preferred construction, shell tensioning forces are applied to each shrimp shell 130 by non-slip shell clutches to be described, and carried by two opposed clutch jaws 208 and 210 pivotally supported on two pivot pins 212 and 214 mounted on the lower edges of the respective main jaws 178.

Non-slip connections are made to each shrimp shell 130 by tubular shell-engaging elements or shell clutches 216 and 218. One shell-engaging element or clutch of each of the two pairs of clutches 216, 218 is carried by each of the two clutch jaws 208, 210 for engagement with a shrimp shell.

As seen particularly in FIG. 12, the two clutch jaws 208 and 210 are formed as generally C-shaped mirror images of each other, and extend from the support pivots 212, and 214 outwardly around the two main clamping jaws 178. The outer ends of the clutch jaws are turned toward each other to confront opposite sides of the position occupied by a shrimp 122 clamped on the holding unit in the manner described.

The first pair of shell connecting elements or clutches 216 has stationary positions on the respective clutch jaws 208, 210 and is located on the jaws 208, 210 between the second pair of clutches 218 and the tail clamping jaws 166 to engage opposite sides of a shrimp shell 130 near the tail clamping jaws 166.

Another pair of shell connecting elements or clutches 218 is formed on two levers or dogs 220 swingably mounted on the respective clutch jaws 208, 210 by pivot pins 222. Each lever or dog 220 is urged by a spring 224 to a normal position in which the clutch 218 on the dog 220 abuts against the adjacent clutch 216 as shown in FIG. 11.

Each dog-biasing spring 224 preferably has a central loop 226 (FIG. 13) encircling a projecting portion of the dog pivot pin 222 to hold the spring in place. Opposite ends of each spring 224 extend from the central spring loop 226, and engage respectively an anchoring stud 228 on a corresponding one of the clutch jaws 208, 210, and a cam follower button-230 secured by a screw 232 (FIG. 14) to the corresponding dog 220.

Each cam follower button 230 preferably is formed of a suitable resinous plastic material, such as nylon, and is held against rotation on its clutch dog 220 by a small pin 234 extending outwardly from the corresponding clutch dog 220 into one of two openings 236 in the follower button. Each follower button 230 has a generally circular shape truncated along a generally straight inner edge 238 which defines a groove 2 40 receiving the adjacent end of the coacting spring 224. An arcuate peripheral edge 242 of each follower button 230 projects outwardly beyond the adjacent portion of the corresponding dog 220 for engagement by a coacting cam, as will be explained hereinafter.

Each clutch dog 220 functionally consists of a bell crank swingable about its support pivot 222, and having two legs, one of which supports the corresponding cam follower button 230, and the other of which is constructed to define the corresponding shrimp shell clutch 218.

Each of the shell clutches 216 (see particularly FIGS. 13 and 14) comprises two needle-sharp anchoring tines or short spikes 244 mounted on the corresponding one of the clutch jaws 208, 210 to project toward the adjacent shell 130 of a shrimp 122 clamped on the corresponding holding unit 32. Preferably, one of the tines or spikes 244 on each clutch 216 is located radially outwardly of the other spike with reference to the axis of the flywheel 82, the flywheel axis being identified by the numeral 246.

Each of the spikes 244 is formed of a very hard metal, and, as illustrated in FIG. 14, comprises a cylindrical base 248 securely mounted in the coacting clutch jaw.

Each of the shell-engaging clutches 218 (see particularly FIG. 13) comprises four needle-sharp tines or spikes 250 located in a generally trapezoidal pattern with two of the spikes 250 positioned radially outward with respect to the other two elements 250. The two spikes 250 which are closest to the adjacent clutch 216 have a spacing from one another that is greater than the spacing from each other of the two remaining spikes 250 which are more remote from the adjacent clutch element 216.

The two clutch jaws 208, 210 are continuously urged away from the main clamping jaws 178 by two helically spiraled compression springs 255 which force the respective clutch dogs into engagement with two motionlimiting abutments 260 carried by the respective clamping jaws 178. W

Ks willsitar-steamy,ifiawasafia 'iss not only serve to hold the jaws 208, 210 apart to receive the shrimp therebetween, but also serve advantageously to minimize the compressive load subsequently applied to a shrimp as its shell is stretched and tensioned to disrupt its strength.

Before each shrimp 122 is fully clamped in a holding unit 32, the two pairs of clutches 216, 218 on the holding unit are spaced apart out of engagement With the shrimp. As the shrimp is carried, after clamping, on into the shell disjointing zone 42, two outboard cam followers 254 on the clutch jaws 208, 210 move into engagement with two opposed cams 256 (FIG. 10), which together form a constrictive throat through which the two followers 254 must in i3 the zone 42.

The cams 256 swing the clutch jaws 208, 210 toward each other, causing the spikes 244 of the clutches 216 and the spikes 250 of the clutches 218 to puncture opposing portions of the intervening shrimp shell 130. Due to their small size and needle-like sharpness, the

\ spikes 244 and 250 of the clutches 216, 218 establish firm non-slip connection with adjacent portions of a shrimp shell without subjecting the shrimp shell to compressive loads which would damage the underlying flesh body of the shrimp.

The pivot pin 222 for each swingable clutch dog 220 is located with reference to the position of the shrimp on the corresponding holding unit 32 forwardly of the shrimp shell clutch 218 on the dog 220. Stated otherwise, the position of each clutch dog pivot 222 in relation to the corresponding clutch 218 is such that the clutch 218 occupies, with reference to the central longitudinal plane of the corresponding holding unit 32, a position between the dog pivot 222 and the adjacent clutch 216.

This positional relationship of each clutch dog pivot 222 to coacting structure is of advantage in that it causes the outward reaction of a shrimp shell on the corresponding clutch 218, as the clutch 218 is engaged with the shrimp shell, to supplement the action of the coacting spring 224 to hold the clutch 218 in its nonnal position in which its structure abuts against that of the adjacent clutch 216. Hence, even though each clutch dog 220 is normally held in its normal position only by the yieldable force of a spring 224, the clutch dog 220 is firmly stabilized in its normal position during engagement of the corresponding clutch 218 with the shrimp shell by virtue of the effect which the reaction of the shrimp shell on the clutch 218 has in stabilizing the dog 220in its normal position.

As will be seen in FIG. 11, the positional relationship of the shell clutches 216, 218 of each holding unit 32 toward the components of the holding unit is such that the spikes 244 of the clutches 216 engage a shell seg ment 274 (FIG. adjacent the shrimp tail 124, while the spikes 250 of the clutches 218 engage the shell segment 276 immediately adjacent the shell segment 274. The two shell segments 274, 276 engaged by the two pairs of clutches 216, 218 are joined to each other by a shell joint 278.

After the clutches 216, 218 of each holding unit 232 are engaged with a shrimp shell by the action of the cam 256 on the cam followers 254, the continuing movement of the holding unit brings the cam followers 230 into engagement with a second pair of opposed cams 280 (FIG. 10). The two cams 280 move the two cam followers 230 on the clutch dogs 220 toward each other. This movement of the followers 230 swings the two clutch dogs 220 of each holding unit 32 in opposite directions away from the normal positions of the dogs to effect movement of the two corresponding shell clutches 218 away from the adjacent shell clutches 216 and away from the clamped tail 124 of the shrimp.

Swinging of the dogs 220 as just described has the effect of applying to the clutched shrimp shell segment 276 tension force acting longitudinally along the corresponding shrimp away from the clamped and clutched tail end portion of the shrimp. The longitudinal tension force applied to the clutched shrimp shell segment 276 is opposed by cumulativerestraining forces applied to the shrimp tail 124 which is clamped by the jaws 166 and the adjacent shrimp shell segment 274, which is engaged by the clutches 216. As a consequence, the clutches 218 apply to the shrimp shell joint 278 (FIGS. 5 and 24) a longitudinal tension force acting forwardly with respect to the shrimp, and the tail jaws 166 and the clutches 216 apply to the shrimp at the tail side of the shell joint 278 an opposing tension force acting rearwardly with respect to the shrimp.

The forward displacement of the clutches 218 with respect to the clutches 216 and tail clamping jaws 166 is sufficient to cause disruption of the strength of the shrimp shell between the two pairs of clutches 218, 216 by the tension applied to the intervening portion of the shrimp shell. Thus, there is an effective rupturing or disjointing of the intervening shell joint 278.

After the shell of the shrimp is disjointed in the manner described, the cam followers 230 soon pass beyond the cams 280, which are of rather short duration, allowing the dogs 220 to return to their normal position. The cam followers 254 pass beyond the cams 256, allowing the springs 255 to swing the clutches 216, 218 out of engagement with the shrimp shell.

It will be appreciated that the action of the cams 280, in moving the cam followers 230 toward each other, to produce the desired swinging action of the dogs 220, tends to press the clutches 216, 218 against opposite sides of the coacting shrimp. However, this action of the cams 280, in tending to move the clutch jaws 208, 211) toward each other, is opposed by the springs 255 which act against the cams 256. Because of the action of the springs 255, it is not necessary that the shrimp sustain the full load of thecams 280 in moving the cam followers 230 toward each other. The result is to minimize the compressive load on the shrimp, thus avoiding damage to the flesh body of the shrimp.

From the shell disrupting or disjointing zone 42, each shrimp is carried by the continuing movement of its supporting unit 32 into the shell-ripping and deveining station 44 where the dorsal start of the shrimp shell is ripped open and the sand vein 286 (FIG. 12) of the shrimp is dug out by a rotary serrated element or saw 288 (FIGS. 7 and 10). The element 288 is supported by a swingable arm 290 which pivots about the jack shaft 62. A pulley 271 fixed on the jack shaft adjacent the pulley 60 acts through a belt 273 to drive a pulley 275 which is fixed on the same shaft 277 as the serrated element 288. A pair of sheet metal shrimp centering guides 279 is carried by a bracket 278 supported from a suitable part of the machine frame with the guides 279 lying on opposite sides of the serrated elementor cutter 288 to insure proper centralization of the shrimp at that position. A weight 292 is mounted from an arm 293 to swing the cutter or serrated element 288 into engagement with a shrimp shell, inward movement being limited by a positive stop (not shown).

From the shell ripping and deveining station 44, each shrimp is carried to the debris removing station 46, where the open dorsal side of the shrimp is scrubbed by a rotary brush 300 (FIGS. 5 and 7-10) with the aid of a jet of water from a nozzle 302 to wash away the debris, leaving the shrimp clean.

The brush 300 is mounted on a swingable arm 281 which is swingably mounted about an idler shaft 283 fixed in a suitable part of the machine frame 66. The arm 281 is of sufficient weight to hold the brush against the shrimp and a stud 285 projecting from the machine frame 66 is engageable with the upper or butt end of the arm 281 to limit inward swinging thereof against the shrimp. A spur gear 287 is rotatable about the shaft 283, and is driven by or in synchronism with the spur gear 78 from the gear box 76. The spur gear 287 in turn drives an idler gear 289 joumaled on a shaft 291 carried by the swingable arm 281, and the gear 289 in turn drives the gear 293 fixed on a shaft 295 joumaled at the lower end of the arm 281 carrying and driving the brush 300. I

Important matters of the invention reside in the shellremoving station 48, and this will be passed for the mo- 7 ment for description in greater detail hereinafter.

After each unit has passed the shell removing station 48, it reaches the shell releasing station 50, where the empty shrimp shell 130 is allowed to drop off on to a disposal chute 442, whereupon the empty unit 32 passes by the cleaning brush S2 to the pickup station 36 to continue the cycle. The brush 52 is fixed on a shaft with a gear 297 driven by the previously mentioned gear 84.

The shell removing station can be seen in some detail in FIGS. 5, 7 and 15-24. Among these, attention is directed first to FIGS. 5, 7, 15, 16 and 19. Front and rear transverse shafts 304 and 306 are suitably supported from a portion of the frame 66 of the machine. Front and rear bifurcated arms 308 and 310 are respectively rockably mounted on these shafts in substantially parallel relation. At the upper ends of these arms, they support a substantially horizontal frame 312 pivoted thereon by front and rear shafts 314 and 316 respectively, the frame 312 forming a part of a carriage 318.

Intermediate the shafts 306 and 313, a connecting rod 320 is connected to the rear bifurcated arm 310 by a shaft or pin 322. The opposite end of the connecting rod 320 is journaled on a crank pin 324 which, at the left end (FIGS. 15 and 16), is fixed in the outer end of a crank arm 326 which has a hub 328 fixed on an idler shaft 330 suitably journaled in brackets 332 on the frame member 66. At the right end the crank pin 324 is fixed to a segmental cam 334 which is fixed on a shaft 336 journaled in suitable bearings in brackets 338 mounted on an appropriate one or more of the frame members 66. A sprocket 340 is fixed on the shaft 336, and is driven by a chain 342 driven by a sprocket 344 fixed on a shaft with a spur gear 346 meshing with the large ring gear 80 on the flywheel 82. Accordingly, the shaft 336 rotates at all times that the machine is in operation, and the crank pin 324 and connecting rod 320 effect fore and aft rocking movement of the carriage 318 in timed relation with the movement of the remaining parts of the machine.

A mounting base or block 348 is secured to the top of the carriage frame 312 by means such as bolts 350 extending up through the frame and threaded into the block. Two rows of long spikes 352 upstand from the block or base 348. Each row of spikes is shown ,as including four spikes spaced apart in the direction of travel of the holding units 32, with the two rows of spikes spaced laterally of the direction of travel.

At the rear end of the carriage frame 312 there is an upstanding bracket 354 which, at its upper end, carried a semi-cylindrical support block 356. This support block supports the rear end of a semi-cylindrical shrimp meat stripper 358. The front end of the stripper is supported at one side only thereof by an upstanding arm 360 mounted on the shaft 322 at its lower end, and pinned at 362 to the stripper at its upper end. Relatively adjacent its forward end, the stripper 358 is provided with a longitudinal slot 364 along its upper center line to provide clearance for a knife to be mentioned hereinafter. The slot has scallops 366 along the edges thereof to provide clearance for the spikes 352.

A downwardly opening yoke or clevis 368 is pivoted on the clutch shaft or pin 314 at the front of the carriage frame 312, and at its upper end has a cross pin 370 pivotally mounting the front end of a slitter knife 372. The knife is mounted at its rear end on a cross pin 374 at the upper end of a similar yoke or clevis 376 mounted on the cross pin or shaft 316. A spur gear 378 is fixed with the yoke 376 for rocking movement therewith.

A gear sector 380 is pivoted on the shaft 322 and has the teeth 382 thereof meshing with the spur gear 316. A cam follower arm 384 extends downwardly and forwardly from the sector 380 and carries a cam follower roller 386 at its lowermost extremity. When the cam follower roller is urged forwardly, as will be brought out hereinafter, the sector 380 turns in a counterclockwise direction, thereby turning the gear 378 in clockwise direction. This causes the yoke 376 to turn in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the knife 372 upwardly and forwardly, the yoke 368 inherently pivoting in the same manner as the yoke 376 due to their mounting about parallel axes and connection at opposite ends of the knife.

The shape of the knife can be seen in FIG. 19 (and also in FIGS. 21 and 22), and includes a forward upper edge 388 which is straight and not sharpened, and a trailing higher edge 390 which is sharpened, and which is curved at the forward edge, and which tapers down at the trailing portion as an unsharpened edge 392.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 18, near the front of the carriage frame 312 a pair of longitudinal stub shafts 394 is supported by brackets 396 forwardly of the stripper 358 and lying outboard of the frame 312. Cam follower arms 398 are pivoted on the stub shafts 394 on either side of the frame, and a coil spring 400 is stretched between spring anchors 402 on the lower portions of the cam follower arms 398 to urge the lower portions toward one another. Inwardly directed stops 404 on the cam follower arms 398 engage the sides of the frame 312 to limit inward movement of the cam follower arms 398 under the influence of the spring 400.

Diagonally disposed cam follower rollers 406 are respectively mounted at the lower ends of the arms 398, being mounted on pins 408. These rollers normally are out of engagement with, but, under certain conditions of operation to be described hereinafter, come into engagement with oblique cam surfaces 410 on a cam member 412 mounted on the arm 308 to urge the rollers 406, and hence the lower ends of the cam follower arms 398, pivotally apart.

Shrimp tail gripper members 414 extend from the upper end of the cam follower arms 398 (see also FIGS. 23 and 24), and are provided at their upper ends with inwardly directed short spikes or points 416, conveniently two on each of the shrimp tail gripper members 414. As will be brought out shortly hereinafter during a certain period in the operation of the machine, the shrimp tail gripper members 414 pivot toward one another under the influence of the cam 412, whereby to grip a shrimp tail, as shown in FIG. 23.

Adjacent the upper ends of the shrimp tail gripping members 414 these members are provided with a transverse pin 418 which extends between the gripper members 414, and has downwardly turned, depending ends 420 lying outside of these members. The pin, as best may be seen in FIG. 24, underlies the tail of a shrimp and holds it up in proper position for penetration and gripping by the points 416. Unlike the cam follower arms 398, the shrimp tail gripper members 414 are not rigid, but are capable of a certain amount of flexure. Thus, they can be arranged to move toward one another to the greatest extent for the smallest size shrimp that might be handled, and will flex to allow handling of larger shrimp without damage to the mechanism.

A spring 422 (FIGS. 19 and 20) is stretched between the cross pin or shaft 374 in the fixed pin or other suitable spring anchor 424 on the carriage frame 312 so as normally to hold the knife 372 in retracted position.

A shaft 426 extends rearwardly from the mounting block 356, and rockably mounts a bracket 428 having a rod 430 extending longitudinally along the top of the stripper 358 for sweeping across the top of the stripper to insure proper movement of the shrimp meat therefrom.

A cam follower arm 432 extends laterally from the bracket 428 near the top thereof, and at its outer end carries a rotatably mounted cam follower ball or sphere 434, preferably molded of a resinous plastic material.

A flat cam track 436 is mounted on a suitable machine frame member 66, and the ball 434 rides on this track. In order to hold the follower ball 434 down against the track, a suitable spring means is provided, such as a torsion spring (not shown) about the shaft 426 acting between the block 356 and the bracket 428.

Operation of the machine, except for the shellremoving station 48, has been described hereinbefore. Operation of the shell-removing station 48 will readily be understood with particular reference to FIGS. 19-24. The carriage 318 is shown in a fully retracted position (FIG. 19) as a shrirn'p 122, gripped by the body and by the tail in the manner heretofore described, approaches the shell stripping station 48 in one of the holding units 32. Rotation of the shaft 336 causes the crank to advance the connecting rod 320, and thus to force the carriage 318 upwardly and forwardly to the position of FIG. 20 at which the spikes 352 extend up into the meat or flesh body of the shrimp, the cam 410 simultaneously causing the shrimp tail grippers 414 to grip the shrimp tail 124. Due to the geometry of the parts, the carriage frame 312 and the spikes 352 momentarily move at more rapid rate than the shrimp 122 carried by the holding unit 32, whereby the shrimp meat is moved forward at a slightly faster rate than the shell (being advanced about one-quarter inch ahead of the shell), thereby to separate the meat at least partially from the shell. As will be seen in FIG. 20, the knife 388 has remained at a constant height relative to the carriage frame 312, while the stripper 358, due to the geometry of its mounting, has lowered somewhat. Simultaneously, the ball 434 has moved forwardly along the flat track 436, and the rod 430 has been moved well down on the right side (the foremost part in FIGS. 19 'and 20). Thus, the knife projects part way up into the meat of the-shrimp.

The parts continue moving through the relative positions of FIG. 21, and it will be observed that the first possible active surfaces 4380f the cam 334 have at this time come opposite the follower roller 386, but do not engage the follower roller. When it is desired for the knifeto cut most deeply into the meat, a longer arm 384 is provided so that the roller is picked up by the first surface 438. However, with the arm 384 shown, the can follower 386 is not picked up until it reaches the main part of the cam as indicated at 440. This causes counterclockwise pivoting of the gear sector 380, andhence clockwise turning of the gear 378 with resultant clockwise movement of the knife support arms 376 and 368. This raises the knife .to its greatest extent. Meanwhile, the carriage has started to move back to its initial position, i.e., toward the left in FIGS. 19-22.

The shell continues along its way toward the right as carried by the holding unit 32, except for the tail which has been released by the tail clamping jaws 166 as pivoted by portions of the opposed stationary earns 72, the tail being held back by the tail grippers 414 along with the meat which is held back by the spikes 352. The carriage continues to move to the left back to the position of FIG. 19, and at this position the stripper 358 has raised entirely above the knife and above the spikes 352, the follower roller 386 by this time having fallen off the cam 338. Thus, the meat is now entirely free of the shell, and may possibly fall of its own volition off the side of the stripper to a collector basket at the bottom of the machine (not shown). The meat, however,

is positively pushed off of the stripper if it did not fall off by return of the rod 430 to its leftmost position (the farthest away position in FIGS. 19-22).

The shrimp body gripping jaws 178 ultimately are opened by a portion of the cam 188 to drop the shell down to the diagonally oriented disposal chute 442 (FIG. 10) for gravitational movement of the shell to a disposal area.

It has been found in actual field practice that the foregoing mechanism works quite well. However (bearing in mind that the knife is returned to lowered position by the spring 422), it has been found that under certain adverse conditions of operation where there may be an accumulation of shrimp material above the knife, the knife on some occasions does not fully retract. When this happens, there is an interference between the knife and the rod 430 which is obviously undesirable. A modification of the invention is shown in FIGS. 25-28 which uses water jet means for moving the shrimp from the stripper, thus maintaining the area clean for better operation and retraction of the knife, and furthermore, precluding any possibility of a mechanical interference that could cause jamming or damage to the parts.

Most of the parts in FIGS. 25-28 are identical with those heretofore shown and described, and the same numbers as used heretofore are used to identify these parts with the addition of the suffix a to avoid prolixity of description.

The difference in FIGS. 25-28 resides in omission of the rod 430 and the accompanying operating parts, and in the addition of a water pipe 444 terminating in a manifold 446'disposed immediately opposite the position of a shrimp 122a resting on the stripper 358a. The manifold is provided with a plurality of orifices or jet outlets 448 directly opposite the position of the shrimp for emitting jets of water 450 to impinge against the side of the shrimp (FIG. 28) to displace it from the top of the stripper 358a.

Water pressure is maintained in the pipe 444 and in the manifold 446 throughout the operation of the machine. In order to keep water from spraying over to the shrimp area at unwanted times, a shield 452 of generally semi-cylindrical shape is positioned concentric about the manifold 446. The shield is mounted at one or both ends on plastic bearings 454 which journal it on the manifold, and the shield is provided with a flat section 456 against which the water jets 450 impinge as in FIG. 26. A drip edge or flange 458 is provided below the flat section 456.

A bifurcated cam follower 460 is pivotally pinned to the plastic bearing 454 by a pin 462 at the end of the manifold 446 relatively adjacent the supply pipe 444. This cam follower is provided with a vertical slot 464 receiving a flat plate cam 466 fixed on and rotating with the shaft 336a. The cam is flat throughout substantially its entire circumferential extent, and is provided with a single offset section 468 which encounters the cam follower 460 once for each revolution of the cam to rock the shield 452 to the position shown in FIG. 28, whereby the water jets 450 will impinge against and eject a shrimp 122a from the top of the stripper 358a. As will be appreciated, the water cannot provide a positive interference with'the knife, should the knife not fully descend. Furthennore, the water keeps the area clean so that the knife is more likely to descend in each instance as it should. 

1. Apparatus for processing shrimp including carrier means for a plurality of individual relatively shiftable means for initially gripping the tail and thereafter clamping the ventral body portion of a shrimp and longitudinally shifting said shrimp, intermittently movable conveyor means for delivering the tail of a shrimp toward an approaching gripping means, drive means for said carrier means, control means interposed between said drive means and said conveyor means for controlling the intermittent movement of said conveyor means and for locking said conveyor means in a momentary position of dwell, means effecting the relative shifting of a said gripping means adjacent the conveyor means during a momentary position of dwell of said conveyor means for the tail gripping and ventral clamping of the said gripping means, means for longitudinally slitting the shell of the gripped shrimp, and means for separating the shell and meat of a gripped shrimp.
 2. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the conveyor is provided with an edge portion to permit projection of a shrimp tail portion toward an approaching gripping means, said conveyor being adapted to move shrimp laterally along a linear path into alignment with a said gripping means.
 3. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 2, wherein the conveyor means includes V-shaped troughs for longitudinally accommodating a shrimp with the tail portiOn thereof projecting toward an approaching gripping means.
 4. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 1, wherein the carrier means is moveable along a circular path, and the drive means is adapted to impart continuous movement to said gripping means along said circular path.
 5. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control means includes a first rotary member driven by said driving means, a second rotatable member intermittently rotated by said first member, and means coupling said second member with said conveyor means.
 6. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 5, wherein means is provided which, during a portion of each complete cycle of rotation of said first member, interlocks said first and second members so as to momentarily lock said second member against movement in timed relation with respect to the functioning of said gripping means.
 7. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first and second members form elements of a Geneva movement device.
 8. Apparatus for processing shrimp comprising carrier means for a plurality of individual relatively shiftable gripping means for initially gripping the tail portion of a shrimp and longitudinally shifting the shrimp conveyor means for intermittently positioning the tail of a shrimp to be received by a said gripping means, self-locking intermittent transfer mechanism for controlling the intermittent movement of said conveyor in timed relation with the movement of said gripping means, means effecting the relative shifting of a said gripping means adjacent the conveyor means during intermittent stoppage of said conveyor means for the tail gripping function of said gripping means, means for longitudinally slitting the shell of a gripped shrimp, and means for engaging the meat of a gripped shrimp and for relatively shifting the shell and meat of a gripped shrimp to effect separation thereof.
 9. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 8, wherein the self-locking intermittent transfer mechanism comprises a Geneva movement device.
 10. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 8, wherein the self-locking intermittent transfer mechanism includes a first rotary member, a second rotary member intermittently driven thereby, and means coupling said second rotary member with said conveyor means.
 11. Apparatus for processing shrimp as set forth in claim 10, wherein the second rotary member, during each complete cycle of rotation, is adapted to impart at least six successive intermittent movements and periods of dwell to said conveyor means. 